The sweet fruity taste of this drink is well complemented by notes of Scotch whiskey. The Blood and Sand cocktail is named after the film of the same name, directed by Fred Niblo in Hollywood in 1922, based on the novel by the Spanish writer Vicente Blasco.
In the center of the plot, a young guy Juan, who made his dream come true – became a famous matador (bull tamer), which brought him fame and fortune. Juan married the beautiful Carmen, but cheated on her with the widow Donna Sol. As a result, due to love troubles, Juan lost concentration in the arena during a performance and died from a bull’s blow. The film was re-shot in 1941 and 1989, with Sharon Stone playing the role of the widow in the latter version.
The first written mention of the recipe dates back to 1930 and is found in the Savoy Hotel Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock. The author of the drink has not been identified.
It is believed that the cocktail symbolizes the sand of the bullring, irrigated with blood. No ancient Roman gladiators!
Composition and proportions:
- scotch whiskey (scotch) – 25 ml;
- red vermouth – 25 ml;
- cherry liqueur – 25 ml;
- orange juice – 25 ml;
- ice cubes – 200 grams.
In the classic version, all ingredients are mixed in equal proportions. In the male version, to reduce the sweetness, the amount of vermouth and cherry liqueur is reduced by 5 ml (add 20 ml each. Some bartenders replace red vermouth with sweet white (bianco).
The taste depends on the choice of whisky. If you use Islay scotch, the malt for which is dried with peat, the cocktail will have smoked notes with a hint of iodine and a slight smoky aroma.
Traditionally, Blood and Sand is served in a Margarita glass.
Cocktail recipe “Blood and sand”
1. Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
2. Pour the resulting mixture through a strainer (bar strainer) into a serving glass.
3. If desired, decorate the finished cocktail with orange zest. Fortress – 18-20% vol.
